Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-11-27
NINA'S NARRATIVE.
Nina Van Zandt Tells why She
Married Spies by Proxy.

While the reporter was talking with
her an old man came in with petit
ton in his hand. she took it cage ly
and scanned it quickly, and thrn
stood up beside the old man and
tn ned sideways. Wont you sign
the petition ?" said the old man, en-
tirely ignorant as to whom he was
speaking. II sign ?" said she. at
would do you no good; it would do
you great harm; my name is Spies I"
The old man started, but said moth
ing. How are you getting on? ?" she
asked. do you get many signers,
and what do they say?" And then
she moved away, looking at the paper
and slowly shaking her head. AS he
went out OF the door she said. "Just
think, he is over 80 years old and is
going about with that petition"
Continuing she said: II wonder if
those opposed to it think they will
stop this movement OF the people? vi
course we feel that for the movement
itself the death OF these seven con-
demned men would accomplish much.
Would not their blood be all freshen-
ing it up, like the rain upon grass"
and she put out her hand and with
pretty motion waved it upward. "'A
conspiracy Yes, that is what they
called it; it was only on conspiracy
charge that they could convict any one
OF murder, yet at the trial four proved
an ahbi for the Haymarket meeting
and then there were some in the con-
spiracy who, it was proved, had never
known each other; they have only be-
come quainted since they have been
in Jail together. On, the childishness
OF the whole thing makes one sick at
heart. The terror that vas inspired
in the people right alter the Hay
market meeting was dreadful, and
that feeling has been fed and nursed
and kept brightly burning ever since.
For months after The meeting police
men found bombs under the side ak.
Now, as the directions for making
bombs had been published broadcast
in all soits Of publications, is it not
possible that those interes ed in hav-
ing the bombs found there could also
have put them there? Then it was
SO very strange that the police used
to find bombs under the railroad
tracks, and always just about three
minute before the trains came along,
and on tracks where the trains had
been iunning all the time and where
it WAS impossible for any one to place
them there in the intervals without
those who did find them seeing those
who had placed them on the track.
"But that was not tue most singular
performance at all. Judge Gary's
court WAS closed for the summer, and
the children of the janitor were ac-
customed to play there. They had
left one OF the balls to hold Irvine.
such as you see in every grocery
store. When the courtroom was
opened the tin twineholder was found,
and it was said that bomb had been
placed in Judge Gary's court. The
reporters visited the room, there APP
pcared in the morning papers two
columns OF description of this bomb
with headlines so large" and she
pointed TO the largest type in the
newspaper she held in her hand. "In
the evening papers there were six
lines saying it was mistake about
Il bomb being found III
Judge Gary's court, but how
many of those who read the two col
umns with their big headlines ever
saw the modest six lines of contradic-
ton? The reporters go to the Ill and
ask the jailor: "Has Nina b en- here
to-day 2" Not Mrs. Spies, not Miss
Van Zandt, but just Nina We had
nev-r thought about marrying until
we knew what the fate OF my husband
would be; but new Sheriff went in,
and it was given out that only blood
relatives would be admitted to see the
condemned anarchists that none mere
ly friends could see them. And for
more than week this was so, and
then, and only then, did we think Of
marriage, which alone would give me
the right to visit him. His moth +
and | do not stay long, hardly more
than fifteen minutes, because that
hour is the only time he has for any
exercise, and we feel he must have
some chance to stretch his arms for
the cell is SO small he cannot put
them out at full length. - Cincin-
natl Commercial Gazette.
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